


AC20 Day 3: Taking The Next Step

by The_Rose



Series: Rose's Advent Calendar 2020 [3]
Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: F/M, Family Reunions, Follow up, Illidan is trying his best, slow healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27863661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Rose/pseuds/The_Rose
Summary: Illidan is well-decided to amend for the years where he neglected his child, following Maiev's death.Thankfully for him, Khalari is also well-decided to keep his father in his life by not leaving his side.(Follow-up from my fic "AC19 Day 6: Happiness Is Elf-Made".)
Relationships: Illidan Stormrage & Malfurion Stormrage, Illidan Stormrage & OC, Maiev Shadowsong/Illidan Stormrage
Series: Rose's Advent Calendar 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036257
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	AC20 Day 3: Taking The Next Step

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> For today, here's a small follow up from Happiness Is Elf-Made, and we take back directly the next day after the end of the fic.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy it ^^

Slowly, Illidan opened his eyes, once again welcomed by the very same room he had seen for years. But that morning, it was different as he could feel the weight around his arm and when he looked down, he saw Khalari, sleeping against him while hugging his forearm, and mechanically, Illidan brought his hand to brush his hair as he softly smiled. As soon as Khalari had seen his father the day before, he had decided to not leave him at all, and neither Illidan nor Jarod had succeeded to convince him to sleep in his room, and Illidan had no other choice but to keep his children near him. In some way, he knew that it was helping him.

Reacting to the touch, the young boy tightened his grasp over the arm and slightly opened his eyes.

“Mornin’,” he muttered.

“Morning Khalari,” simply replied Illidan with a smile. “You should get up, if you don’t want to miss your lessons.”

The child nodded as a way to say that he was understanding it, and he slowly straightened up, sitting on the bed as Illidan followed the movement, to give him some place. But before Khalari got out of the bed, he grabbed Illidan’s hand with his own two tiny hands, and pulled on it. A silent order that Illidan had to follow him, and he had no other choice but to comply. Slightly crouching to keep his hand to Khalari’s level, Illidan followed the little boy as he went down the stairs and entered the kitchen. In the room, Jarod was finishing setting up the table for breakfast, and he couldn’t stop himself from glaring at Illidan as he stepped into the room. Illidan awkwardly waved as a way to say good morning.

“Mornin’ Jarod,” waved Khalari as he pulled his father towards the table.

“Morning you two,” Jarod replied, faking the enthusiasm for the sake of Khalari.

Meanwhile, the little boy was forcing his father to sit at his place, and then, he climbed on his laps and sat down, already taking the food to prepare his breakfast. The two men exchanged a look at the behavior, but Illidan only shrugged as he began to help the little boy to make a sandwich for the morning. On the other side, Jarod understood why Khalari was doing all of that, as the young boy was probably afraid that if his father was leaving his line of sight, he would disappear again, and maybe forever this time.

“Dad will bring me to my lesson today!” claimed Khalari, as if it had been a subject that had been discussed beforehand.

Jarod raised an eyebrow and looked at Illidan. No matter how much he wanted him to change and become a real father to Khalari, he couldn’t stop thinking about all those years where he was just hiding, and it was really hard for him to act nice towards the hybrid.

“Do you even know where it is?”

“I will show him!” quickly interrupted Khalari.

Illidan shrugged again, a faint smile on his face as he looked at his child. He had clearly gotten his reckless side from both of his parents, and Illidan wasn’t that surprised about it. He gently brushed Khalari’s hair again as the little boy showed him the sandwich he had made, showing it inside his hand as he gave him the order to eat.

Jarod only hoped that everything would go well for the day, as it would be a brand-new experience for Illidan, and he wasn’t even sure that he knew that Malfurion was the Shan’do that Khalari was always talking about. For a moment, he thought that he should go with them to be sure that everything would be fine, but he also knew that he had to trust Illidan to make the right decision. And he was sure that the twins wouldn’t fight if there was at least one child around them. They knew better than that.

He slightly shook his head as he saw Khalari forcing his father to eat a second sandwich, and he simply wished them a good day, hoping that he would really go well, and that there wouldn’t be any problem.

“And that thing, it’s a portal for Stormwind,” enthusiastically told Khalari as he waved his hand towards the portal. “If you touch it, it will bring you to another place!”

Illidan only smiled, chuckling at the explanation. He could have probably told him that he knew what it was and how it works, as he had been a mage himself and created countless portals, the last in date even bringing a planet full of dangerous demons right to their door, but there was something so innocent and proud in the way that Khalari was talking, that he just had to listen to him.

“Hold my hand,” the little boy continued to explain, tightening the grasp of his little hand inside the one of his father’s. “And then, we jump through to it.”

Taking the lead, Khalari went to jump inside the portal and Illidan quickly followed him to not lose him as he had no doubt that he would go on with his explanation towards the place of his lessons, not realizing that he had lost his father. As soon as he stepped into the Mage Tower of Stormwind, he saw Khalari standing in front of him and looking worried.

“Do you feel sick? The first time I was feeling sick.”

“I’m feeling good,” smiled Illidan as he quickly brushed the hair of the little boy.

“Sure? You can sit for a minute if you want.”

Illidan chuckled and reassured his son once again that everything would be good for him, and he also reminded him that they had to hurry if they didn’t want to be late for the lessons. Khalari immediately agreed to it, and quickly said hello to the mages maintaining the portals, like every morning, even if this time he added that he was with his dad. Illidan awkwardly waved at them until Khalari pulled on his hand to make him leave the building.

“Now, we get down,” explained Khalari as they stepped on the ramp that would lead them on the ground of the Mage’s Quarter.

“I can make it faster,” proposed Illidan as he crouched to face Khalari, opening his arms. “Just hug me.”

Without the need for Illidan to ask a second time, the little boy threw himself in his arms and Illidan hugged him as he stood up, his wings on his back slowly moving as he tried to get back the feeling of flying. It was maybe a bad idea, as he hadn’t used his wings in years, but at the same time, even when they were brand-new from his transformation, he had discovered that he was pretty natural for flying. So, sure of himself, he spread his wings and stepped out of the rail, letting himself glide to the ground as Khalari screamed out of joy from the feeling.

“Can I do that too?” he asked once Illidan had put his hooves back on the ground, stars in his eyes.

“When you’ll be older,” Illidan smiled. “I’ll teach you how to fly.”

Khalari clapped his hands with enthusiasm as Illidan began to walk, putting the little boy on his shoulder to carry him. As he kept a hand to hold him in place, Khalari grabbed his head and horn, showing him the way towards the embassy and the Kaldorei sanctuary while explaining a lot of things about Stormwind. Illidan listened to him, replying and showing an interest in what the little child was saying, even if it was about things that Illidan already knew. But the closer they were getting, the slower Illidan’s steps were becoming.

Even if it had never been said to him, he was perfectly aware that his brother was still alive and living in Stormwind after the burning of Teldrassil. So, it wasn’t that farfetched to think that he could be the one to teach druidism to the children, and Illidan was dreading to know if he was right or not. After all, he hadn’t spoken to his brother since the Third war, years ago, and even when he came back to life to fight the Legion, he had conveniently avoided any places where he could have run into him as he didn’t know what to say. And as Malfurion didn’t try to get in contact either, he thought that it was for the better. But now, he was scared of that possible reunion.

“Come on, I will be late,” urged Khalari, unaware of the inner turmoil of his father.

“Don’t worry,” tried to laugh Illidan to hide his fear. “We’ll get there.”

And indeed, he finally reached the space reserved for the teaching of druidism, and as he had expected, he immediately recognized his brother, speaking to other children. For a moment, Illidan thought of putting Khalari back to the ground, wishing him a good day and then, running far away from the place for the day, but before he could put it into motion, he realized that Malfurion had spotted him and was already making his way towards them, hurrying. It was too late to leave.

“Good morning Shan’do!” said Khalari as soon as Malfurion was close to them. “Dad brought me here today!”

“I… I can see that,” awkwardly smiled Malfurion as his eyes walked all over Illidan, his body still marked by the years of depression following Maiev’s death.

“Malfurion,” acknowledged Illidan, after swallowing hard to be able to say the name.

“Illidan,” he replied.

As they both expected, an awkward and heavy silence quickly set up between them as despite that they had millennia of things to say, they weren’t close enough anymore to let them go that easily. Finally, Malfurion made the first step and grabbed his brother to hug him. Surprised, Illidan got tensed by the touch, but quickly warmed up to it by giving back the hug while he did his best to keep Khalari in balance over his shoulder. After a good minute, Malfurion finally let him go and Illidan put the little boy on the ground, and Khalari immediately ran to go see his friends, leaving the two men alone.

“You look awful,” muttered Malfurion.

“I know,” replied Illidan, more than aware that it would take him years to get back to his former body. “I look pathetic isn’t it?”

“More like you will break in half if I hug you again.”

“Don’t worry, I also thought I was going to break,” tried to laugh Illidan.

Malfurion quickly shook his head, his arms crossed as he kept looking at Illidan.

“Even when Tyrande broke you out of Barrow Deeps, you weren’t looking like that…”

“Things were different back then… And I guess they told you?” asked Illidan, his voice shaking at the memories.

“About Maiev, yes. Yes, I know and I’m sorry it happened. You weren’t deserving that.”

Illidan raised his head to look at his brother, as he had barely heard him so sincere and genuine since the Third War. It only made him want to cry, if it had only been a possibility for his body, and instead, he just mentally thanked his brother for his concern, as it was a little too hard for him to say it out loud.

“Stay here for the day,” invited Malfurion as he showed him the little place where the students were patiently waiting for their teacher. “I’m sure it would make Khalari happy.”

Illidan simply smiled as he accepted the proposition and went to sit against a tree, not too far from the students, and rested there as he looked at the lesson.

After a few hours and multiple breaks, Malfurion was now helping most of the students to perfect their shapeshifting, starting with one of the easiest, the cat form. Remembering how he had always failed that exercise when he was younger, mostly because he just didn’t want to practice it at all, Illidan chuckled and tried to find Khalari in the crowd, to see if his son was better at that than he had been. But despite that almost all of the children weren’t transformed, he couldn’t find him and he frowned, even using his spectral sight in hope to see his son, but it was formal, he wasn’t with the students anymore. Panicking, Illidan thought of calling Malfurion and told him about the disappearance, but before he could do it, he felt a paw over his leg and once he looked on the side, he saw a sabercat cub emerging from the shadows. Immediately, the animal changed until Illidan recognized his own child as he sighed out of relief, suddenly feeling better to have found him.

“I’m happy that you are here,” whispered the little boy as he cuddled against his father.

“I’m happy too,” replied Illidan, hugging him and once again brushing his hair.

He was perfectly aware that he should have told him to go back to his lesson, but as Khalari had pretty demonstrated that he could already shapeshift, and melt into the shadow, it was pretty obvious to Illidan that he didn’t need the exercise. Instead, he let the little boy fall asleep against him.

In the following quarter, Malfurion joined him, at first hurrying, and as soon as he noticed Khalari, he calmed down and simply walked to them. Once that he was at their level, he crossed his arms and shook his head with a slight disappointment.

“I should have guessed he would sneak out, but at least, he’s with you,” sighed Malfurion. “I’m just impressed that I didn’t see it happen.”

“I haven’t seen it either,” chuckled Illidan. “Once I realized he wasn’t in the group anymore, he showed himself here next to me. But I guess that druidism is really made for him if he fooled us both with that shapeshifting.”

“Shapeshifting?” Malfurion couldn’t stop himself from repeating, raising an eyebrow. “You mean that he had shapeshifted to come and see you?”

“Yes. Is it strange?”

“No, no… Just that he hadn’t shown that he had that ability yet…”

Malfurion quickly looked at the little boy, then at his brother again, and his eyes made the path a few times as an idea slowly formed in his head, and once it became clear, he sighed audibly.

“I really hope he won’t start keeping secrets like you,” he simply said.

“I cannot promise anything,” shrugged Illidan.

“Well, I think I can let him out of the lesson for today, and we are almost done anyway…” Malfurion thought out loud before putting his attention back to Illidan. “Does it bother you to stay until the end? I would like to invite you to dinner.”

Saying that Illidan was surprised would have been an understatement, but he also had to admit that he was happy to see that his brother didn’t seem to hate him anymore, and that they probably could hold more friendly conversations. And as he knew how important his twin was for Khalari, he knew he couldn’t afford to be the one to put the distance between them, especially if Malfurion was the one to make the first step every time.

“It would be great,” he smiled at his brother.

As the sun slowly went down on Stormwind, Malfurion began to conclude his lesson, and soon, every child scattered, either to go find the relative that brought them here in the first place, or to go back to their home by themselves. Khalari, who had woken up from his nap a little while ago, quickly waved goodbye at his friends, staying as close as he could from his father. And now that everything was done, Malfurion joined them once again, reaching his hand to Illidan to help him back on his hooves, and he gladly accepted as he also had to keep Khalari in one of his arms. And finally, Malfurion guided them towards his home, enclaved a little further away in the sanctuary.

Stepping inside, Illidan felt a wave of nostalgia flowing through him, as the house had been built following the style of the former Kaldorei empire, and that he had seen countless houses like that when he was younger. He even lived on one of those and for a moment, he was wishing that he could go back in time and make sure that nothing could go wrong ever again. Sadly, a vain wish.

“Tyrande, my love,” Malfurion said out loud as her voice echoed through the house as she replied to him. “I brought someone for dinner.”

It was at that moment that Illidan knew that he should have thought twice about it before accepting the invitation. Maybe that his brother had warmed up to him, but he had the excuse of being his brother and sharing the same blood, but for Tyrande? Would she even accept to talk to him? To look at him? There was a high chance that it would be a calamity, and there was, unfortunately, no way for him to leave now. But as he felt the little hand of Khalari brushing the back of his hand holding him, he knew that he had to be strong and just hope for the best.

“It’s Illidan,” finally said Malfurion as Illidan had missed the small conversation that had led them to that reveal.

Immediately, the sound of something falling on the ground echoed through the house, quickly followed by running steps as Tyrande emerged in the hallway and stopped in her tracks as she saw Illidan. Once again, he awkwardly waved, as he wasn’t sure that he could talk, and that he didn’t even know what to say. Yet, he could only notice that she had also changed as she was looking older than he remembered, clearly affected by the burning of Teldrassil, and her eyes were black. Slowly, Illidan realized that they had all changed since the bright time of their childhood, for the better and the worst.

Carefully, Tyrande walked towards him, but as soon as she got to his level, she jumped into his arm to hug him, and he had no other choice but to hug her back.

“By Elune,” she whispered. “You’re going to break in half.”

“I shouldn’t, but let’s be careful about it,” chuckled Illidan.

Gently, she let him go and she crouched to say hello to Khalari, the little boy clearly happy to see his aunt. As she stood up, she kept looking at Illidan, who was nervously scratching his neck.

“How are you?” she finally asked.

“That’s not really a question you want to know, unless you have some time in front of you,” kept chuckling Illidan, actually happy that he hadn’t been thrown out of the house at the mention of his name.

“We can make some time,” she said, looking at Malfurion who was silently agreeing with her.

And thus, Illidan let them guide him and Khalari to the dining-room as the conversation began and that they all got to voice their concerns for each other and speak freely, despite all those years of silence between them.

Surprisingly, Illidan found himself hoping for a real better life again.

Maybe that it was a possibility after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it!  
> Tomorrow: A follow-up from an AU I started in the last calendar, in our modern time.
> 
> See you tomorrow and every day until Christmas with a new fic!
> 
> \----  
> Unfortunately, English isn't my first language so if someone is interested in becoming my beta-reader for the language, hit me up on my Tumblr!  
> Or if you just want to talk about WoW, my fics, someone else fics, or anything, you can still hit me up there!
> 
> https://thewritingof-therose.tumblr.com/
> 
> or on Discord
> 
> https://discord.gg/nvKggwc (An Illidan/Maiev Discord)
> 
> Later!
> 
> (Comments are welcomed and appreciated :D)


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